the opening, carrying with him enough food to last him for a few days.
He found a hiding place in the creek bank, and there laid until a few
minutes before noon on the opening day. When his watch and the sun both
told him that it lacked but a few minutes of noon, he emerged from his
hiding place, with a view to leisurely locating one of the best corner
lots in the town. To his chagrin he saw men advancing from every
direction, and he was made aware of the fact that he had no patent on
his idea, which had been adopted simultaneously by several hundred
others. He secured a good lot for himself, and sold it before his
disqualification on account of being too "previous" in his entry was
discovered.

As each train unloaded its immense throngs of passengers, the scene was
one that must always baffle description. The town site was on rising
ground, and men, and even women, sprang from the moving trains, falling
headlong over each other, and then rushing up hill as fast as their legs
would carry them, in the mad fight for town lots free of charge. The
town site was entirely occupied within half an hour, and the surrounding
country in every direction was appropriated for additions to the main
"city." Before night there were at least 10,000 people on the ground,
many estimates placing the number as high as 20,000.

Some few had brought with them blankets and provisions, and these passed
a comparatively comfortable night. Thousands, however, had no
alternative but to sleep on the open prairie, hungry, as well as
thirsty. The water in the creek was scarcely fit to drink, and the
railroad company had to protect its water tank by force from the thirsty
adventurers and speculators.

The night brought additional terrors. There was no danger of wild